Guide for track shoes or links



Feb. 25, 1947. w. o. BECHMAN GUIDE 4FOR TRACK SHOES VOIR LINKS Filed April 2, 1945 /Hml' "paulo @W12 @i Patented Feb. 25, 1947 UNITED STAT-E GUIDE Fon TRACK snoEs on LINKS l William O. 'Bechmam Chicago, lIll., assigner Ito v Internationalllarveste'r Company, a corpora.- f

- tion ofv New Jersey Application April 2, 1945, 'serial No.A 586,213" l This invention concerns articulate tracks of caf,

,One object of the invention is the provision of y a simpler track shoe 0r link which may be formed and assembled with a separate guide yat less cost than when these parts are produced integrally. Coupled with this object isthe Aadvantage that impaired guide members can be detached from the link and replaced with less effort and. expense than if the entire link and guideassembly were replaced. i

Another object is the provision of an improved track link and guide member assembly wherein the hinge pin of adjacent links serves as an abutment for holding the guide in a predetermined circumferential setting. y

A further object is the provision of a link and guide assembly in which the guide serves as a stop to prevent endwise withdrawal of the hinge pin for associatedadjacent links.

'f `A further object is the provision of a link and guide assembly combining the advantages of the next preceding two objects.

The. drawings and the following description will render the above objects and other desirable objects inherent in and encompassed by the invention more fully comprehendable.k

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the outer or ground-engaging periphery of a crawler vehicle track of which the links and track guide members assembled therewith constitute a preferred embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 isa sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on the linev 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

1 Fig. 4 is anend elevationalview of .the track guide l'members which are respectively assembled with the track links or shoes.

In the present embodiment, the articulately connected members II constitute the links of a vehicle track as well as the shoes or groundengaging portions thereof. These members II,

'by' hinge pins I2.

which for convenience will be referred to as linksA or track link structures, are pivotally connected at their'opposite `edges to adjacent similar links At one edge, each link has pin-receiving means in the forml of a pair of axially spaced bearings I3, while at the opposite edge each of these links has pin-receiving means in the form of axially spacedbearings I4, I5, and E6. The bearings I4 and I5 are spaced sufficiently from their associated coaxial bearing I6 for receiving the bearings I3 rof the adjacent link so that each group ciy bearings I3, I4, I5, and I6 is axially alineable for receiving its associated pinI2. y Each link is also provided withpan extrusion lopening I1 for the'discha'rge of earth or other foreign matter from the inner periphery'of the track'to the outer periphery thereof, s0 that an accumulation 'of this foreign material on the inner v'periphery will not attain proportions Afor jamming Yagainst the track driving sprockets and/or rollers. Holes-I8 and I9 are for receiving `teeth 26 of track driving sprockets 33.

Each link II also has a socket 2| Afor receiving the shank 22 of a track guide member 23 having a flattened head 24 shaped asillustrat'ed in Figs. 2 and 4. Referring to Figs. 2 v`and 3 where the socket 2I of the center link II in Fig. 1 is shown, this socket can be seen toj communicate'completely through the link at the base of the bear-v ing I6. This places the socket 2| in such close adjacency to the pin-receiving means consisting of the bearings I4, I5, and I6 that the inserted shank 22 projects into the circular profile of the associated hinge pin I2.` Therefore, the Ihinge pin is formed with a flat bottom notch 25 for accommodatingthe guide member shank 22, and said pin is inserted prior to insertion of said shank into the socket 2 I. Subsequent to insertion of the` shank into said socket, `the shank body will cooperate with ends 26 and 21 of the notch 25 in blocking endwise movement of the pin and thereby preclude-endwise withdrawal of the pin I2 from its assembly with the adjacent links. VThe guide lmember shank is provided `with a iiat face 28 so located circumferentially thereof v that when this face abuts against the fiat bottom of the notch 25, the guide member head 24 will be oriented within a plane extending lengthwise of' thetrack as illustrated by the dotted outlines in corresponding grooves, not shown, within the peripheries of the idler sprockets, of the tractor track rolls, and of the track bogie wheels. The

lengthwise of the track is for providing sucient mass to provide the required strength.

The track guide member Shanks are anchored in their sockets 2 Iy by cap screws 29 which project into the sockets from the traction face of their associated links Il and are'turned into threaded relation with threaded recesses of the guide melni K ber shanks.

Having thus described the preferred embodi-V greater dimension of the guide member heads 24 Y pin notch to prevent endwise withdrawal of the pin from its receiving means, and the flat face of said shank being seated against the flat bottom of the pin notch to preventrotation of the guide member and thereby preserve the'orientation of its head. Y Y f 4. In an articulate vehicle-track movable along a groove of retaining means for holding the track on the vehicle; a track linkstructure having pinreceiving means extending transversely thereof for the reception of a hinge pin to pivotally connect said structure with an adjacent link strucy ture and also having a socket extending normally ment of the invention Vwith the View oi fully illus-A, i

trating the same,Iclaim: lf Y 1. In anY articulate vehicle-track carried about Y axially-spaced rotatable memberskof the Vehicle, a track link structure having pin-receiving meansl for the reception of a hinge pinto pivotally .con-3 nect said link structure with an adjacent link structure and also having a socket intersecting saidV pin-receiving means, a hinge pin inserted endwise `into said pin-receivingy means andlhaving a notch in a side thereof disposed in registry` with said socket, and a track guide member'extending outwardly from said link structure for projecting between the axially-spaced rotatable Y structure and also having a socketintersecting said .pinreceiving means, a hinge pin inserted endwise into said pin-receiving mean-s; and a track guide member having a head portion extending outwardly trom said Ylink structure for projecting between the' axially-spaced rotatable y.members and cooperating therewith to retain the Vtrackon the vehicle, said head portion requiring circumferential orientation for cooperating with said rotatable members, said track guide member also having a shank anchored insaid socket, and said shank having a attened portion reactable against the hinge pinto prevent rotation of said guidememberto preserve the orientation of its head.

V.3.'In'anYarticulatevehicle-track carried about axially-Spanos. rotatable members oi' the vehicle,

' a track link structure having pin-receiving means for the reception ot a hinge pinto pivotally connect* said linkstructure `with anv adiacent'link structure and also havingkta socket intersecting said pin-receiving means, a hinge pinv inserted endwise into said pin-receiving means and having anat bottom notch in a side thereof disposed in registry with said socket, and a track guide mem'- Y ber having a head portion extendingoutwardly from the link strnctureifor rprojecting between Y the axially-spacedrotatable members and'thereby cooperate therewith in Vretaining thel track on the vehicle, said head portion requiring orientation circumferentially of said guide member to facilitate such cooperation Y.with the axiallyspaced members, said track guide member also having a lat faced shank inserted into said hinge thereto Vadjacently to said pin-receiving means;

.ahinge pin inserted endwise into said pin-receiving means and having, in a side thereof, a notch in registry withsaid socket; and a track guide member having a shank portion anchored in said socket anda head portion extending outwardly i from the structure for projection into the grooveA of said'retaining means to cooperatetherewith in retaining the track on the Vehicle, said track guide member being 'circumferentially orientated for 'such cooperation with the track-retaining means and the shank of said'guide member having a section projecting into the pin notch to' Y cooperate' therewith in maintaining 'such circumferential orientation and in blocking endwise' Withdrawal of the pivot pin. 5

5. In an articulate vehicle-track movable along a groove of retaining means for holding the track on the vehicle; a track link structure having an outer traction face, an inner opposite face, a

socket communicating between said faces, 'and pin-'receiving means extending transversely of saidstructure along an edge thereof adjacently to said socket for the 'reception of a hinge pin yto pivotally connect said structure with an adjacent link structure; a hinge pininserted endwise into said pin-receiving means and having, in a side thereona notch in registry with said socket; a

track guide member having an internally-threaded shank projected into said socket from said inner' face of the link structure and a headportion extending outwardly from said face for projection into thegroove of said retaining'means to cooperate therewith in retaining the track on the vehicle, said track guide member being circumferentially orientated for such cooperation with the track-retaining means andthe shank of said guide member. having a sectionk projecting into theV `pin notch to, cooperate' Vtherewith in maintaining suchcircumferential orientation 'and in blocking endwi-se withdrawal of the' pivot'pin;4 and a threaded member projecting into said socket from the outer facerof said link structure into threaded relation with the internal threads of said shank to anchor the same in said socket.

WILLIAM o. BECHMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent: y f Y UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,376,851 Worth 4May 3, 1'921 1,135,560. Tolles Apr. 13,1915

, 1,881,179 Foot Oct. 4, 19732 

